Giving In
by Jewel Insert Witty Name Here
Summary: In their Seventh Year, the night before Christmas break, he finds her in the library and follows down a corridor, badgering her until she gives in.


**Giving In  
A Harry Potter Fanfiction  
By Jewel**

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and its characters were created by JK Rowling; and are copyrighted to their rightful owners. There is no copyright infringement intended by this fanfiction.

Summary: In their Seventh Year, the night before Christmas break, he finds her in the library and follows down a corridor, badgering her until she gives in.

Rated PG. Spoilers for the fifth novel.

In honor of my new laptop, this is the first story written on it.

_Giving In (1/1)  
_

These days it seemed that she couldn't go anywhere without seeing him. Turn the corridor and there he was, swaggering around Hogwarts with his friends, hexing some unsuspecting first year; or smirking as he and his brute of a friend broke yet another school rule all, the in the name of fun.

She hated seeing him, hated the sight of his smile, the way his mouth kicked up at the edges like the world and everyone in it existed for nothing more than his amusement. Turn around in Potions and there he was, joking with his friends like it was beneath him to actually pay attention to what the professor was instructing them to do. Show up at a Quidditch match to find him making sly, backhanded insults, trying to throw the other team off. See him sitting on his broomstick, perfectly balanced, like God stilled the air on that day just for him to shine like some ancient god.

It was horrible to move through the day, ignoring him, pretending he meant nothing. Pretending he was beneath your notice. It was unbearable, simply worse than any torture a dark wizard could conjure, to have him single you out for attention. To have him turn that condescending smirk, or worse, that breath stopping smile at you.

"What are you reading?" He asks, sinking gracefully into the seat beside her.

She glares at him. This is her quiet time, the only time she can sneak away from the dormitory and the complaints of the younger classmen, the only time for her to be by herself. She wouldn't admit it, but she likes this hour of solitude, hidden away in the library, reading an obscure book, shirking her duties as Head Girl. "I'm reading," she answers coldly. "That's typically what one does when their eyes move back and forth across a page full of words."

"I know what reading is," he snaps back. Scowling, he forces a calmness back into his voice. "So this is where you hide every evening."

She wants to answer, wants to yell at him, but she doesn't. Instead she continues reading, ignoring him.

He snatches the book away, turns the cover so that he can read it. "Hogwarts, A History?" He sneers. "This is what you read?"

"Isn't there a third year, some where out there, that you haven't bullied as yet? Maybe a baby you haven't stolen candy from?"

He frowns at her. He doesn't get these little muggle references she likes to throw at him. Still, he doesn't respond any of her accusations. "It's the last night before Hogwarts closes for Christmas, why aren't you with your house?"

"Why aren't you with yours?" She counters, shoving quills and scraps of parchment into her already overstuffed bag.

"Who can resist such a conversationalist as yourself?" He teases, flashing that smile.

Now is not the time to go weak in the knees, she scolds herself. She pushes away from the table and jerks the strap of her bag over her shoulder. He also stands and trails behind her as she exits the library.

"So what are your plans for Christmas?" He asks, all friendly chit chat.

"To put as much distance as possible between you and myself." She speeds up, but his legs are longer and he's much more athletic than she is.

"That's not very nice."

She stops and glares at him. "Is there a reason you're stalking me?"

"Why won't you go out with me?" He asks, the age old question that he's been pestering her with for years.

"Do you want the short explanation, or the long one? I fear the full length list would have us here for the next few years."

He narrows his eyes, annoyance crossing his features. "Well let's hear your immediate reasons first then."

She holds up a hand and begins to tick off reasons. "You're arrogant, selfish, a bully and a show-off. Oh, and rude. You're terribly, terribly rude. Are those enough reasons or should I continue?"

He flinches. "It's nice to know what you think of me."

She stares at him incredulously. "You asked. Besides, since the first day you arrived at Hogwarts you've done nothing but waltz around like you own it. You can't do a single thing without drawing attention to yourself. Not to mention your tendency to pick on those less fortunate than yourself."

"I haven't been like that since Fifth Year," he argues. "Just go out with me. Just once, and then, if you don't think I've changed at all, I'll leave you alone."

She hesitates. She doesn't want to go out with him, but she would love to have him leave her alone. She debates with herself for several minutes. He stands there patiently, whistling under his breath.

Finally she lets out a long sigh. Hormones have won out against rational thought. "Fine, you win. One date, after we return from the holidays."

He grins, and the beauty in it is enough to pull anyone into madness. "You won't regret it, Lily, I promise," he says. He grabs her bag and slings it over his broad shoulders. "I'll walk you back to the Ravenclaw dormitory."

"I can fetch my own bag," she grumbles. He ignores this; he's too busy beaming like a firework display. It's like a child winning the giant toy at a fair. He's won some sort of prize, she can sense this as she trails along beside him.

At the entrance to the Ravenclaw common room, she pauses and turns to him. "Give me my bag and then scamper away. I won't let you hear the password."

He hands her the bag and bows. "As my lady commands."

He turns and continues walking down the corridor, whistling as he returns to the Gryffindor Tower.

"Don't bully anyone on your way back, James!" She shouts to his retreating back. He doesn't turn around or reply.

She stands outside for a few seconds, her bag resting on the ground as she contemplates what she has done.

END

Author's Note:  
I purposefully hid the idenities of the characters until the end because I think this could apply to any couple you want to plug in. Personally, it started as a Draco-Hermione story and then somehow morphed into a Lily-James. In any case, the ending was left that way for the effect. I rather like the sense of doom it stirs. I honestly can't imagine how Lily became involved with James, muchless later married him, so this was my attempt at figuring that out.

Don't forget to review!

Jewel  
04.02.2005


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